This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2001-353566 filed Nov. 19, 2001, 2002-022366 filed Jan. 30, 2002 and 2002-316701 filed Oct. 30, 2002, which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector for electronic devices such as cellular phones, telephones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), portable audio devices, cameras and information terminal devices, and more particularly to a card connector that ensures a smooth withdrawing of a card without damaging it, as would occur if an inserted card in a locked state or ejected state were allowed to be forcibly pulled out.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic devices such as cellular phones, telephones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), portable audio devices, cameras and information terminal devices, the use of small memory cards with a built-in IC (integrated circuit) chip for CPU (central processing unit) and memory, such as IC cards, PC (personal computer) cards and SD secure digital or super desity) cards, has become very widespread in recent years and there are growing demands for card connectors that can accept these small memory cards (see referenced patent 1, for example).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-143789 (FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, pages 3 and 4)
There are market demands on conventional card connectors such as described above that they be reduced in height and volume and strong enough to withstand card insertion and withdrawing operations. Another trend in the market is for card connectors to be able to firmly hold and release an inserted card with ease. To meet these demands, the card connectors have a metal plate cover at the top secured to a base plate of insulated material and also include a card eject mechanism and a card lock mechanism for easily releasing and locking a card.
FIG. 17 to FIG. 22 of the drawings illustrate an example of such conventional card connector. FIG. 17 is an overall perspective view of a conventional card connector 100, FIG. 18 a perspective view of the conventional card connector with the metal plate cover removed, FIG. 19 a plan view showing the conventional card connector in a card locked state, FIG. 20 an enlarged view of a lock portion of the card connector of FIG. 19, FIG. 21 a plan view of the conventional card connector in a card ejected state, and FIG. 22 an enlarged view of the lock portion of the card connector of FIG. 21.
As shown in these figures, the conventional card connector 100 basically comprises a base plate 102, a metal plate cover 103, a eject mechanism 104 for releasing a card 110, and a lock mechanism 105 for locking the card 110.
In the conventional card connector 100 with the above construction, the base plate 102 is molded of an appropriate insulating material such as synthetic resin and is combined with the metal plate cover 103 made of a metal plate to form a hollow, flat housing in which the card 110 can be inserted. Along one side of the base plate 102 of the insulating material is arranged the eject mechanism 104 which ensures a smooth extraction of the card 110 from the card connector 100. The eject mechanism 104 is provided with the lock mechanism 105 that locks the card 110 inserted in the card connector 100.
The eject mechanism 104 in its basic construction comprises an operation lever 106 as an operation member mounted slidable along a side edge of a chamber formed in the base plate 102, a spring member 107 such as a coil spring for elastically urging the operation lever 106, and a push member 108 formed integral with the operation lever 106 to push out the card 110 so that the card can be taken out. When the lock mechanism 105 of the eject mechanism 104 is unlocked, an accumulated elastic force of the spring member 107 pushes the operation lever 106 to eject the card 110 through the push member 108. The push member 108 extends in a direction almost perpendicular to the direction in which the operation lever 106 is operated. The front end portion of the card 110 engages the push member 108 to activate the operation lever 106.
The lock mechanism 105 has a lock arm 109 which is provided at its free end with a locking piece 112 engageable with a lock recess 111 of the card 110. The lock arm 109 is made from a rodlike or elongate platelike member and, at its base end (opposite the locking piece 112 end), is secured to a root portion of the push member 108 so that it is elastically supported like a cantilever. The locking piece 112 has one corner 112a rounded in arc so that, during a card locking operation, the locking piece 112 can easily fall into the lock recess 111 of the card. The other corner 112b of the locking piece 112 is pointed like a barb to prevent the locking piece 112 from inadvertently slipping out of the lock recess 111 of the card 110 and unlocking the card.
After having been inserted and used in such a conventional card connector 100, the memory card 110 such as IC card, PC card or SD card needs to be withdrawn easily. For this purpose, the conventional card connector is provided with the eject mechanism 104. Further, because the inserted card 110 must be held immovable, the conventional card connector 100 is also provided with the lock mechanism 105 for locking the inserted card 110.
In the eject mechanism 104, the push member 108 for pushing the card 110 outwardly is interlocked with or formed integral with the operation lever 106. The locking piece 112 that engages the lock recess 111 of the card 110 is provided to the operation lever 106. In a card ejection operation, the locking piece 112 is disengaged from the lock recess 111 of the card 110 to unlock the card, which can now be pulled out from the card connector 100 easily.
In a card locked state, the locking piece 112 engages the lock recess 111 of the card 110, preventing the card from being withdrawn easily. Therefore, with the card 110 in the locked state, an attempt to withdraw the card forcibly will damage the lock recess 111 and in the worst case even the card connector 100 itself.
To solve these problems experienced with the conventional card connector, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card connector which has a feeling lock mechanism having a feeling lock member adapted to engage the lock recess of the card so that the card can be drawn out both in the card locked state and in the card ejected state.
To achieve the above objective, the card connector of the present invention comprises: a housing formed by a base plate and a metal plate cover mounted on the base plate; an eject mechanism provided in the housing to eject a card, the eject mechanism including an operation member mounted slidable along one side of the housing, a spring member to elastically urge the operation member, and an eject member integrally formed with the operation member; and a feeling lock mechanism to restrain a motion of the card. This construction allows the lock projection of the feeling lock member of the feeling lock mechanism to disengage easily from the lock recess if the card is forcibly pulled out from a card locked state or a card ejected state. This in turn allows the card to be drawn out easily without causing any damage to the card or the connector itself. This construction also reduces the size of the card connector so that it can be used on information terminal devices such as cellular phones.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock mechanism has a feeling lock member adapted to engage a lock recess of the card inserted in the housing, if the card is pulled out forcibly, it can be drawn out easily without damaging the card or the card connector.
Furthermore, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is formed with a lock projection adapted to engage the lock recess of the card inserted in the housing, the card inserted in the housing can be pulled out without causing any damage to the card or the card connector, if the card is pulled out forcibly.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is so formed that the lock projection can engage the lock recess of the card whether the card inserted in the housing is in a locked state or ejected state, the card can be pulled out from the card locked state or card ejected state without causing any damage to the card or the card connector.
In the card connector of the present invention, the feeling lock member is formed from an elongate platelike spring member and the lock projection is triangular shaped with an apex thereof rounded. This construction allows the card connector to be manufactured easily in small size.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is provided on the operation member of the eject mechanism, the card connector can be manufactured in a simple, small structure.
Furthermore, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is slightly bent to one side, as the card is inserted, an apex portion of the portion slightly bent to one side engages a wall of the base plate to increase a spring load, preventing the card from being pulled out with a small force and ensuring a firm holding of the card.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is supported at one end thereof like a cantilevered spring and, at the other end, is formed with the lock projection, the card connector can be manufactured in a simple, robust, small structure easily.
In the card connector of the present invention, the lock projection is formed in a triangular that has a predetermined range of contact angle. If the card is forcibly pulled out from a card locked state or a card ejected state, this construction allows the lock projection of the feeling lock mechanism to disengage easily from the lock recess, assuring an easy withdrawal of the card without damaging the card or the card connector.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the range of contact angle of the lock projection is about 66.75xc2x0 to 71.35xc2x0, if the inserted card is forcibly pulled out from a card locked state or a card ejected state, the lock projection of the feeling lock mechanism can easily disengage from the lock recess of the card in this range of contact angle, allowing the card to be drawn out without causing any damage to the card or the card connector.
The card connector of the present invention comprises: a housing formed by a base plate and a metal plate cover mounted on the base plate; an eject mechanism provided in the housing to eject a card, the eject mechanism including an operation member mounted slidable along one side of the housing, a spring member to elastically urge the operation member, and an eject member integrally formed with the operation member; and a feeling lock mechanism to restrain a motion of the card, the feeling lock mechanism having a feeling lock member supported at both ends thereof, the feeling lock member having a lock projection formed at almost a middle thereof, the lock projection being adapted to engage a lock recess of the card inserted in the housing. This construction increases a card holding force in the card locked state, holds the card firmly against larger vibrations and impacts, allows the card to be drawn out without damaging the card or the card connector even if the card is forcibly pulled out, and enables the card connector to be manufactured in a simple, robust, small structure.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is so formed that the lock projection can engage the lock recess of the card whether the card is in a locked state or ejected state, the card can properly be withdrawn without causing any damage to the card or the card connector even if the card is forcibly pulled out.
Furthermore, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is formed from an elongate platelike spring member and the lock projection is a triangular shape with an apex thereof rounded, it is possible to manufacture the card connector in small size with ease, allow the card to be withdrawn properly without damaging the card or the card connector even if the card is forcibly pulled out, increase a card holding force in the card lock state, and thereby hold the card reliably against larger vibrations and impacts.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is provided on the operation member of the eject mechanism, the card connector can be manufactured in a simple, robust, small structure.
Furthermore, in the card connector of the present invention, since the feeling lock member is slightly bent to one side, it can be efficiently installed in a limited narrow space to properly increase a contact pressure. As the card is inserted, the apex portion formed by slightly bending the feeling lock member to one side engages a wall of the base plate to increase the spring force, thereby preventing the card from being withdrawn with a small pulling force and ensuring a reliable holding of the card.
Further, in the card connector of the present invention, since the lock projection is formed in a triangular shape that has a predetermined range of contact angle, if the card is forcibly pulled out from a card locked state or a card ejected state, the lock projection of the feeling lock mechanism can easily disengage from the lock recess of the card, permitting the card to be drawn out easily without causing any damage to the card or the card connector.
In the card connector of the present invention, since the range of contact angle of the lock projection is about 100xc2x0 to 120xc2x0, if the card is forcibly pulled out from a card locked state or a card ejected state, the lock projection of the feeling lock mechanism can easily disengage from the lock recess of the card, allowing the card to be withdrawn without damaging the card or the card connector.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from detailed descriptions of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.